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Characterisation of Phytophthora infestans Isolates Collected from Potato and Tomato Crops in Tunisia During 2006–2008

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Abstract

Severe late blight epidemics in Tunisia in recent years prompted population studies on the pathogen responsible for this disease, Phythophthora infestans. Characterisation of 165 Tunisian P. infestans isolates collected from 2006 to 2008 was performed for the mating type and mt haplotype, while subsets were analysed for metalaxyl sensitivity (n = 65), virulence on differential set of 11 R genes of Solanum demissum (n = 31), aggressiveness on cv. Bintje (n = 36) and measurement of the radial growth on agar medium at three temperatures (n = 38). Most isolates from potato and all isolates from tomato had the A1 mating type. The A2 mating type was detected in the north-east and northern areas, but not in the north-west. All the A2 mating type isolates were metalaxyl resistant and seem to be part of a new generation of the P. infestans isolates which are more aggressive, with more complex races, and tolerant to higher temperatures. The increased severity of epidemics during 2006 to 2008 can be attributed to favourable weather conditions during growing seasons, adaptation of new genotypes, widespread phenylamide resistance in potato production regions and most probably incorrect spray programmes. In contrast to the presence of complex pathotypes in two major potato crop regions (north-east and northern areas), the P. infestans population detected in the other regions and in tomato crops was still relatively simple. Compared with the situation in Europe and the American continent, or even compared with neighbouring countries such as Algeria, the genetic changes in Tunisia are still comforting and require strict management decision on late blight control to avoid the spread of new P. infestans populations from Europe or neighbouring countries.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Tunisian Potato Centre of Saida (CTPT) especially Hssin ben Hssin and Belhssan Tarhouni for their help in the sampling, Wiem Jmour, Ibtissem Fekih and Ibrahim Hannachi in Tunisia and Marga van Gent-Pelzer, Trudy van den Bosch, Hendrik Rietman and Dirkjan Huigen in The Netherlands for technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic and Plant Breeding, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, Tunis, Tunisia

    Kalthoum Harbaoui, Moncef Harrabi & Walid Hamada

  2. Plant Research International BV, Wageningen UR Biointeraction & Plant Health, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Theo van der Lee

  3. Wageningen UR Plant Breeding, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Vivianne G. A. A. Vleeshouwers

  4. Horticultural Laboratory, Potato Research Program, Tunisian National Institute of Agricultural Research, Tunis, Tunisia

    Nouri Khammassy

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  1. Kalthoum Harbaoui
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  2. Theo van der Lee
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  4. Nouri Khammassy
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  5. Moncef Harrabi
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  6. Walid Hamada
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Correspondence to Kalthoum Harbaoui.

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Harbaoui, K., van der Lee, T., Vleeshouwers, V.G.A.A. et al. Characterisation of Phytophthora infestans Isolates Collected from Potato and Tomato Crops in Tunisia During 2006–2008. Potato Res. 56, 11–29 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-012-9228-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-012-9228-3

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